Nucleation and growth kinetics of AlN films on atomically smooth 6H-SiC (0001) surfaces

Citation
S. Yamada et al., Nucleation and growth kinetics of AlN films on atomically smooth 6H-SiC (0001) surfaces, APPL PHYS L, 78(23), 2001, pp. 3612-3614
Citations number
11
Categorie Soggetti
Apllied Physucs/Condensed Matter/Materiales Science
Journal title
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
ISSN journal
00036951 → ACNP
Volume
78
Issue
23
Year of publication
2001
Pages
3612 - 3614
Database
ISI
SICI code
0003-6951(20010604)78:23<3612:NAGKOA>2.0.ZU;2-T
Abstract
Nucleation and growth kinetics of AlN films on atomically smooth 6H-SiC (00 01) surfaces, which were obtained by HCl etching at elevated temperatures p rior to growth, were investigated. The surface morphology and the defect de nsity of AlN films on such surfaces were significantly improved compared to those on as-received SiC surfaces. This is due to enhanced diffusion lengt h and reduced incoherent boundaries at the coalescence regions of the AlN i slands. AlN nuclei on the as-received SiC surface were crystallographically misaligned and thus induced incoherent boundaries at the coalescence stage , resulting in the delay of the two-dimensional growth mode transition and defect formation in AlN films. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.